In a little more than a month, voters will have the opportunity to decide whether to continue a 1-cent sales tax — a significant portion of which will be dedicated to streets and drainage projects.

A Sept. 10 election has been set to determine whether to renew the tax that has been in effect for two decades.

Russellville residents and shoppers have paid a 1-cent sales tax since 1993, though the city itself has only received revenues from the tax since 2003. From 1993-2002, a 1-cent citywide sales tax was in place, but funds were used for a number of expansion projects and debt retirement for City Corp., the city’s water and sewer utility.

A tax renewal was approved by vote in 2002, with collections beginning in 2003, when the previous tax for City Corp. expired. The tax approved by voters called for seven-eighths of each cent to be dedicated to street and drainage projects and the other one-eighth to economic development efforts.

In 2007, that tax was up for renewal. Again, voters said “yes” to the continuation of the city’s one-cent sales tax for six more years, with collections beginning in 2008. This time, the money was split in several different directions, including streets and drainage, purchase of property for the proposed convention center and hotel, economic development, the city’s Recreation and Parks Department and the renovation of City Hall.

From 2008 through June 2013, $21,869,385 was collected for streets and drainage projects. Those funds have been used to complete a variety of projects, one of the most notable of which was the expansion of North Phoenix Avenue. The city’s portion of a project to improve South Inglewood Avenue was also paid for with sales tax proceeds.

Other projects included a detention basin off South Waco Avenue, currently under construction; drainage alleviation at the J.L. Shinn subdivision, South Detroit Avenue, South Glenwood Avenue and Randal Circle; improvements, currently underway, along East H Street and Parker Road and along North El Paso Avenue, which will both be complete street projects.

Public Works Director Michael Oakes said some of these projects, such as along H and Parker, will lead to neighborhood revitalization.

“We expect to see that neighborhood do well and thrive for many years to come,” he said.

While Public Works’ operations and maintenance budget is not dependent on continuation of the sales tax, capital projects are, Oakes said. The state recently enacted a temporary half-cent sales tax for road projects, of which the city will receive about $500,000 annually for the duration of the tax. Proceeds from that source, however, are committed for the next few years to pay for the North El Paso complete streets project.

If voters approve a continuation of the city’s 1-cent sales tax, Oakes has several projects in the city’s long-term plan. The most significant proposed project is a north-south arterial route in the eastern portion of the city, likely along Weir Road and Elmira Avenue. This would alleviate truck traffic and other portions of the city and include an overpass over the railroad tracks, Oakes said.

Other proposed projects include an Interstate 40 frontage road from Arkansas Avenue to State Highway 124; drainage improvements in the True F. Smith neighborhood; intersection improvements at Lakefront Drive and Parkway Drive and West Main Street; intersection and drainage improvements at Arkansas Avenue and State Highway 124; extension of North Glenwood Avenue from L Street to Parkway Drive; streetscapes and sidewalks alone North Arkansas Avenue; and annual streetlight, sidewalk, and overlay programs.

In June, the Russellville City Council passed an ordinance detailing how the sales tax proceeds would be divided.

Sales tax proceeds derived from the sale of aviation fuel at Russellville Municipal Airport will be used for capital or operating costs of the airport.

Of the remaining city-wide collections, 6.25 percent will be used for economic development and capital improvement purposes, and 12.5 percent will be set aside for water and sewer improvements.

The remaining 81.25 percent of net collections will be divided as follows: $7 million for construction, operation and maintenance of an aquatic center; $1.3 million for parks and recreation capital projects; $6.5 million for a new central fire station; and the balance will be dedicated for streets and drainage. Total collections are estimated to be $39 million over the six-year lifespan of the tax.